“Fine. I’ll go with you.”
Going was her best option. When he took her home, she’d tell him why she’d avoided him and especially why the two of them getting together was a bad idea. Of course, that’d only work if he didn’t kiss her. If he kissed her, all bets were off. So her plan—she had to keep him away. She’d find a way to do this. She had to.
He hesitated for a moment before he released her.
“I have to say bye.”
She spun and made it halfway around when his fingers gripped her wrist. He tugged, turning her to him again.
“You hear what I said before, Lex, or are you deaf?”
She clenched her jaw and fisted her free hand. Then the anger burning inside her spilled. “For an entire month, I sat in my beautiful house alone. That is, in between the times I got house visits from you being a jerk. I’m very angry with you for ruining the first fun night I’ve had since moving here.”
Her face flushed with each word. That heat crept down her neck and chest. “I’ve agreed to leave with you, but I’m not happy about it. I’m not anyone you can boss or control. I were you, I’d tread very carefully because quite frankly, I’ve had it with your insults, your cursing, your caveman tactics. Bottom line…”
She tore her wrist from his grasp and shoved a pointed finger in his face. “I’ve had it with you.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her hand away from his face, and squeezed. “I could control you, babe, you’d be sitting on my face.”
Holy… A shiver snaked through her, one she couldn’t hide. She tried to disguise it by turning away, taking a deep breath, and heading toward the bar. He released her wrist only to grab her hand. She didn’t fight him on this. That thrill made her heart race so much she felt dizzy. It wasn’t under control yet. Unfortunately, that meant fainting at his feet was a possibility.
Walking to the booth where they’d been seated, she spotted Trig sitting next to Allie. Lex couldn’t see Trig’s face, but Allie looked to be in deep conversation, probably explaining herself. Mia was right where she’d been when Lex left, sitting in the booth. Stone stood beside her with his arms crossed over his massive chest. Mia’s gaze darted away, ignoring him. Em and Ripper stood a few feet away, and they were making out hot and heavy. Lynn and Wild were nowhere to be seen.
“Can we go now?”
She jumped hearing his voice so close and faced him. “Yes.”
No point in waiting. Allie, Em, and Mia were clearly busy, and she wouldn’t interrupt.
Dodge laced his fingers through hers as he led her out of the packed bar. While she followed, she drew her phone out of her clutch and texted Allie, telling her Dodge would give her a ride home, not to worry.
Outside, Dodge let go of her hand, grabbed her clutch, and stored it in a saddlebag. Then he climbed onto his Harley. She hesitated for a second, wanting to admire it, a beast of black and chrome and absolutely gorgeous.
“Don’t be scared.”
Her gaze shot to his. “I’m not. I’ve ridden a bike before.”
Brows furrowing, his eyes flared. “You’ve ridden a bike?”
“Yes.”
His face went hard, jaw locking, back straightening stiffly. “Yeah?”
How that could possibly upset him, she had no clue.
“Yes,” she repeated, almost out of patience.
“You dated a biker?”
Why did he have to jump to conclusions? She could’ve ridden a friend’s bike. Her brother-in-law could’ve taken her for a ride or her father.
“No.”
His expression softened. “So your dad’s?”
God, why did it matter? Either way, she didn’t think she had a choice but to respond since she had the feeling he’d keep asking.
“No, it was this guy I dated.”
That hard look came again. “So you dated a biker?”
So infuriating, all the time, and she’d had enough, so she snapped, “No, I dated a guy who had a bike. I did not date a biker.”
His eyes flared again. He clenched his jaw before he barked, “Christ, everything that comes out of your mouth makes me wanna bust a gut laughing or bend you over my knee.”
Another thrill, her legs shook making her stumble. Third time that night. She couldn’t believe it. She was not into spanking, angry sex, or rough sex, never had been. Then again, a man’s vulgarity had never turned her on either.
Her jaw dropped, eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. “I can’t believe you just said that to—”
In seconds, he climbed off his bike and closed the distance between them. Standing inches from her, he clutched the back of her neck, snaked his other arm around her waist, and yanked her to him until her chest collided with his. Then his lips slammed onto hers and his tongue swept inside her mouth.
She could’ve pushed him away, could’ve screamed until he released her. She didn’t do any of it because the most beautiful man in the world kissed her and like every other time, it was mind-blowing.
Instead, her hands, locked between his chest and hers, gripped him. As he dove into her mouth for the third time, she moaned then relaxed in his arms, surrendering completely.
At that moment, he could’ve done whatever he wanted. Luckily, one of them was thinking clearly.
He drew away. When her eyes parted and met his, he smirked. “Found a way to shut you up.”
God, why did she want him to do that again and again? Why wasn’t she mad anymore? Not fair. No man should have that much power over her. No one should.
“Come on, Lex. It’s late.”
His hand, at her neck, skated across her back then down her arm. He grasped her hand and tugged her forward. At his bike, he hopped on and held out his hand. Her stomach fluttered, not just because she was about to ride a Harley but especially because she had an excuse to press up against him. Grasping his hand, she placed one foot on the peg and swung her other leg over. Her butt landed on the seat, her chest firm against his back. Once he released her hand, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on tight, so it was hard not to notice. The man had to be in his thirties, early thirties, and still, he had abs, defined and sculpted to the degree she felt them while he sat and over his shirt.
Insane.
He drove off. She forced herself to focus on the feel of the wind blowing against her, the sound of the echoing engine between her legs, and not on the man she held on to.
Impossible.
The ride was great, but it wasn’t just about the wind, the engine vibrating, the road. It was about him. He made it about him every chance he had when he placed a hand over hers. He didn’t say a word as if with the action alone he said all he needed to, and he smelled of leather and something else that was all man and all him. Before she knew it, she pressed her cheek against his back.
It ended too soon.
He pulled up to his house, and she heard his garage door opening, her fantasy ride with the most attractive man she’d ever met ended, and reality sunk in.
Her plan, she had a plan, and she had to stick to it.
Driving into the garage, he cut the engine. Immediately, she hopped off. How she managed to do it as quickly in a pair of five-inch heels without falling flat on her face, she’d never know. The thought gone realizing she stood in his garage. She scanned it. Messy, but most garages were. Except for a couple of boxes stacked in a corner, his was littered with tools and bike and car parts, which explained why grease stains covered most of the concrete floor. Finishing her perusal, she met his gaze. His stare skimmed her face like he was evaluating her reaction. When he didn’t say anything, she did.
“What?”
He cocked his chin. “Nothing to say?”
What did he want her to say? Give him a compliment? It was just a garage.
Her gaze flew from the scattered tools to the boxes back to him. “What do you expect me to say?”
He shrugged. “That it’s messy or dirty. That I shouldn’t have to
ols out with a three-year-old. Something along those lines.”
“Well, it’s messy, but that’s not something you tell anyone when you go into their home for the first time. Besides, everyone’s garage is messy. As far as the tools…” She released a breath. “…I’m sure you’ve warned Cullen about messing with them, and as you brought to my attention when we met, how you raise your child is none of my business.”
His eyes widened just a bit then darkened, assessing her, drawing conclusions about her from what she said.
Yikes. Had he just tested her? Whether or not she passed, she didn’t know from the intense look spattered on his face. Not that it mattered. She had a plan and had to stick to it.
“We can talk inside.”
Alone in a house at night with him? Not good.
She bit her lip. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea—”
“We’re talking inside, Lex. No other option ’cause I got a prospect scared half to death in there watching my sleeping kid.”
A prospect? She didn’t know what that meant. Reluctantly, she nodded. He handed her her clutch, walked toward a door leading inside his home, and pressed a button beside it. As the garage door slid closed, he opened the door and held it open for her. She headed toward him, strode through, and found herself in a hallway. He grabbed her hand and led her down the hall ending in a large room.
Like her home, his was open concept. From where she stood, the kitchen, dining room, family room, and living room were visible, but his main living area was easily twice the size of hers. The walls were a pale gray. Toward the front of the home, the formal living room had a beautiful white stone fireplace. In front of it, an old suede beige couch and not much else. Toward the back end were the family room, dining area, and kitchen. A large, leather sectional sat in the middle of the room, a coffee table, and a flat screen TV; surprising, hers was bigger. The kitchen, just a tad larger than hers, had dark cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island, and a breakfast nook at the far end. Between the kitchen and family room, an empty area where a dining room table should go. Large windows and a set of sliding glass doors gave a clear view of the spacious backyard. Directly in front of her, a hallway, which she assumed led to the bedrooms.
As she took all this in, a man looking rattled came to stand in front of Dodge.
“Did he wake?”
The man shook his head.
“You worried for nothing. Go have a drink. Looks like you need it.”
The man nodded then left quickly and without saying a word.
Dodge released a breath and chuckled to himself. Afterward, he turned to her. “Want something to drink?”
She shook her head.
“Let me check on Cul. Be back.” He strode down the hallway directly in front of her, disappeared through a door on the left, and reappeared a moment later.
His gaze on her, forcing her to look away. Reaching her, he grabbed her hand and led her to the back of the house through a sliding glass door to the backyard. He had a beautiful dark wood deck. A couple of steps led down to the grass. No pool, but plenty of room for one. Off to the right on the deck, a seating area. To the left, a large grill. They took a right.
He waited for her to sit before he removed a sound monitor from his back pocket, placed it beside him, and sat directly in front of her pinning her with his stare. “So…”
She quirked a brow. “So?”
“Giving you the chance to explain yourself.”
What the… She wouldn’t sit there and be scolded.
She stood. “I do not have to explain anything to you. I do not have to explain myself to you.”
He reared back, eyes widening. Then he stood and grabbed her elbow preventing her from turning away. “Maybe you don’t, but I thought you were going to tell me why you’ve been avoiding me like we agreed.”
Right, that’s what he meant. Why had she taken such offense? The way he phrased it?
He let go of her, sat, rested his elbows on his thighs, and leaned in to them.
Releasing a breath, she took a seat, set her clutch next to her, and looked down at her lap. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other.”
“Yeah, I got that from you avoiding me. I want to know why.” He straightened and drew one hand through his hair, something she noticed through her peripheral. “And when you tell me, I’d appreciate it if you’d look me in the face.”
She lifted her head, eyes meeting his gorgeous dark ones. Already she found herself wavering. “We’d never work.”
His jaw hardened. “’Cause I’m not like that douche you gave three years of your life to? You’re right. I’m nothing like him. A man good with words to get you to take him back after he fucked you over repeatedly, that isn’t me. I’m not good at expressing how I feel, but I promise you, I’d show you. I’d show you every day. And if I had you and fell for you, I’d never let you go, not ’cause I needed space to fuck around, not for anything. And if I had you and shit went south, I’d be a decent human. I’d end it and let you move on with your life.”
He was right. Mitchell was good with words, with lies. She fell for them, and even when he stopped making promises, he didn’t stop making her believe they had a future, that he loved her. But Dodge was also very wrong. He was good with words, good enough she was losing her resolve. Everything he said…beautiful. If only it were true. If only she knew how to tell.
She couldn’t fall again, couldn’t fail again. She had a plan, had to stick to it, but right then, she couldn’t remember her well-thought-out and logical reasons. What had her sister said?
She looked away forcing herself to focus. After a moment, she met his gaze. “You don’t know me. We don’t know each other. There’s just attraction, lust. This ends badly, we’d be stuck living across the street from one another.”
He moved closer and enclosed her hands in his. “This isn’t lust, Lex. Whatever it is, it isn’t that. Attraction, fuck yeah. You feel it half as much as me, you couldn’t deny us a chance to see where this goes.”
Closing her eyes, she shook her head. “Cullen.”
“He likes you.”
She parted her lids and met his stare. “This ends, he gets hurt.”
“We end, I’d never tell him he can’t see someone he likes who’s good to him.”
So he said now, what later?
She swallowed. “You’ve already hurt me, and you can’t guarantee you won’t do it again.”
Releasing her hands to cup her cheeks, he leaned a fraction of an inch closer. “I never hurt you on purpose, Lex. I was pissed, and I let my temper get the better of me. You do it too.” He smirked. “I’m okay with you taking shit out on me.”
“I don’t—”
All she managed. The next instant, he slammed his lips against hers, and the little will she had left vanished.
His hands at her cheeks trailed down her neck then around her back, every touch heating her, feeding her attraction. She moaned and without meaning to pulled away from his lips. Immediately, he slid his mouth down her cheek and neck. She hooked her arms around his shoulders then drew away searching and meeting his lips again.
He thrust his tongue inside kissing her roughly, almost desperately. It spurred her. Heat pooled in her core, another moan escaping her lips. The next instant, he gripped her hips, hauled her up, standing along with her, never losing her mouth, and repositioned her on his lap over the length of him. His hands slid to her lower back and under her shirt.
All happening too fast. If she didn’t stop him soon, they’d be past the point of return. Jumping into bed with someone was reckless and stupid, but with him, she couldn’t stop. Because with him, it felt different, an insatiable need that grew and grew with each flick of his tongue, with each touch.
His hands now at her hips, he slipped them to the side of her ribs and pushed her away. Tearing his mouth from hers, he rested his forehead against hers.
She whimpered at the loss.
“Gott
a breathe, Lex.”
Pulse beating hard and fast at the base of her neck, she breathed deep.
“Need to take it slow.”
No. They shouldn’t take it anywhere. The reasons why beyond her now. His fault. He was a damned good kisser. She could’ve been shot and burned and chances were she wouldn’t have noticed with his lips against hers.
She needed to decide now. To do that, she tore her gaze from his. Concentrate and simplify the problem. What would she regret more: getting her heart broken or never knowing what they could have even if it didn’t last?
His brow furrowed. “You want to take it slow, right?”
She met his dark eyes.
God, so handsome, the strong clean lines of his face, his stubble-covered cheeks and chin, his full thick lips.
“I…” What had he asked? Yikes.
“Lex?”
“Hmm?”
He chuckled. “What’re you thinking about so hard?”
No way in hell she’d admit she forgot what he asked.
She swallowed. “Nothing.”
“So? You wanna take it slow, or should I pick up where I left off?”
She wanted to, but they really shouldn’t…for all their sakes.
She bit her bottom lip. “Slow.”
He smiled. “Spend the day with us tomorrow.”
Oh God. Was she doing this?
Her stomach fluttered. She closed her eyes and let herself feel excited from just that simple invitation. Parting her lids, she smiled. “Okay.”
There, her answer. She’d caved. Right then, his eyes on hers, a smile playing at his lips after that amazing kiss, it felt right.
“Nine too early?”
She shook her head. “I’ll be over at nine.”
“We’ll be over at nine.”
She lifted a brow. “I can walk across the street.”
He looked about to argue. Instead, he smirked and nodded.
“It’s late. I should go.”
He nodded again and released her. She stood and grasped her clutch. He followed, grabbing the sound monitor and tucking it in his back pocket. Then he gripped her hand and tugged her inside. When they reached the front door, he opened it and allowed her out first.
Riding Hard (Hell Ryders MC Book 4) Page 10
